


Something Worth Living For

by jennarem



Series: Glee Hunger Games AU [2]
Category: Glee, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-23
Packaged: 2018-02-10 04:44:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2011368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jennarem/pseuds/jennarem
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Companion to Living, Not Just Surviving. The Hunger Games through Santana's view, how she finally found something to fight for, in the middle of a fight for her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Santana volunteered because she didn’t have anything better to do.

Since her grandmother had passed away, Santana didn’t have much going for her. She was fierce and strong and not good at making friends. No one really cared either way about her. She knew she had a fair chance at winning the Games, and if she won at least her isolated life would take place in the Victors’ Village.

She was pretty confident by the time she got to the Capitol-she’d seen all the tributes, and she knew she only had a couple real adversaries. As soon as they began training she made it known to the other Careers that she was down for an alliance with them. Of course, eventually she’d turn on them and slaughter the lot of them, but it would be nice to have back up in the beginning.

However, not everything went according to plan. Santana sat alone during the lunch break on the first day of training, content to eat by herself. She was surprised when someone sat across from her. The pretty blonde girl from District Six set down her food and smiled at Santana. Santana was instantly suspicious-what did this girl want?

Before Santana could ask, the girl opened her mouth and said, “Guess what!”

Narrowing her eyes, Santana considered the girl. “What?” she answered coldly.

The blonde girl smiled in response. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen anywhere.”

And so it began.

Santana brushed the girl off at first, shooting her a look and getting up wordlessly, bringing her food over to the Career table and finishing lunch with them, chatting about who would be easiest to kill. When Sunshine, the District Two girl, jerked her chin at the blonde District Six girl and commented on her clear ‘prey’ status, Santana chuckled along with the rest of them.

But that night, as she lay in her luxurious bed on the fourth floor of the tower, trying to drift off, the same words kept running through her mind. “You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen anywhere.” Santana, for the life of her, couldn’t remember anyone calling her beautiful. Talented, sure. Aggressive, definitely. Even clever. But pretty? Perhaps her grandmother had said that word, many years ago, as she combed through Santana’s dark hair in her seaside home. But since then, not once.

Until the blonde girl.

Against her better judgment, Santana got out of bed and turned on her light. She switched on the flat screen television in her room and ordered it to replay that year’s reaping ceremonies. She fast forwarded through it until she saw District 6. She played the video.

The blonde girl, not a volunteer but a victim, was named Brittany Pierce.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the next three days of training, Brittany constantly shadowed Santana. They always ended up at the same station, both staying there until Santana left- only to be followed a few minutes later. Brittany cheerfully talked to Santana, though the District Four girl never said a word back. At lunches, when Santana sat with the Careers, she was endlessly teased about “Blondie’s little crush.” She was able to verbally lash back at the others pretty effectively, which got them off her back after a while. Still, Brittany followed her.

Brittany told her about her home in District Six, about her best friend(who Santana slowly realized was not a person, but actually a cat), about her family and her school and her childhood. The girl had a knack for carrying on a one-sided conversation. She’d occasionally ask Santana a question, but would easily go on when Santana remained silent and focused on her task.

Brittany was nice to Santana, no matter how cold she tried to be.

Training finished, and the Games began. Santana stood in her tube, tapping her foot as she was raised into the arena. She examined the environment at first, noting the vast forest and the swamp-like areas.

She looked at the other tributes around the circle, picking out her allies.

Then her eyes fell on Brittany.

The girl already looked frightened, as if she had just now realized that she’d be in a life or death situation. She was set to run from her pedestal, facing towards the Cornucopia. Santana could tell already that Brittany didn’t have good chances in the bloodbath-she was going to try for some high-value supplies, and she was sure to be killed for it.

As the timer counted down from twenty, Santana realized something. She didn’t want Brittany to die. She desperately wished the girl would turn and run the other way, if only so she’d survive for a bit longer.

It was the first time Santana had cared about someone else in years.

The timer hit ten. The tributes were getting antsy, shifting on their pedestals. Santana saw Sunshine cast a sly glance at Brittany. _‘Prey’ status_ , Santana remembered.

The countdown ended Santana moved on instinct, running forward and grabbing a bag. People were already yelling-in pain, in fury, in bloodlust. Santana ignored it all, focusing only on Brittany. She sprinted towards the girl, who was heading for the Cornucopia. Intersecting her, Santana grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her along, headed for the forest. Brittany let out a cry of surprise, but allowed herself to be guided.

The two girls ran into the forest, away from the bloodbath, away from Santana’s prearranged alliance.


	3. Chapter 3

Brittany was happy that Santana had rescued her, but also seemed completely unsurprised, as if she’d known all along that this would happen. That eventually, Santana would come around and be her friend.

The girls stayed on the move until they camped out that night in a rocky outcropping above the swamp. When the holograms in the sky appeared to show that day’s causalities, Brittany reached over and took Santana’s hand. Santana stared at their intertwined fingers, bewildered.

“I didn’t want anyone to die,” Brittany said quietly as she watched the pictures. “I’m glad I didn’t have to kill anyone. I don’t think I could.”

Santana stared at the beautiful blonde girl, silhouetted against the sky. She squeezed Brittany’s hand, and didn’t let go.

They spent two full days together. Brittany was mostly useless in the arena. Santana knew that she was considerably hurting her chances of winning by staying with Brittany, but she didn’t care. For once, it wasn’t about winning.

Santana got them food, kept them sheltered, kept them alive. Brittany kept them entertained. She could talk and talk and talk. Even now that Santana wasn’t ignoring her anymore, the conversations were dominated by Brittany. Mostly, Santana just liked to listen to her voice.

Brittany sung lullabies as they lay hidden by rocks. She whispered made-up stories as they trudged into the forest, looking for food. She told Santana she was beautiful.

They held hands a lot.

They kissed, once. The second night, before falling asleep.

They overslept the next day. Santana woke far past sunrise, and Brittany still slept. Santana kissed the girl on her forehead and then stood and stretched. She decided to let Brittany sleep-she looked so peaceful and angelic-and to go get some breakfast for them. She made sure Brittany’s spot was camouflaged, and tiptoed towards the forest to look for game and plants.

She’d been gone for twenty minutes when she heard the yelling. “ _Santana_!” Brittany called out.

Santana turned, fear gripping her heart, and sprinted back to the rocks.

Before she arrived, she heard a cannon sound. “No, no no no no no…” she said to herself as she ran.

But Brittany lay dead when she arrived, a wound in her chest and slashes on her arms. Santana stared at her body.

The fear that had pounded through her turned to a fierce, white rage. She ran past Brittany, listening. The attacker was still retreating.

She caught up to them, as they headed back to the Cornucopia. Three Career boys. She didn’t even stop and think about which ones they were, what their weaknesses were, whether she could get out alive. She drew her sword and attacked.

One was dead before they’d noticed she was there. The other two, stunned, began to flee. Santana caught another one, killing him too. The third one got away. She could tell who it was as he ran, reaching the Cornucopia.

Jesse, the tribute from District One.

He called to the remaining Careers gathered around their camp, and Santana turned and ran. She knew she couldn’t fight them all off, not now. She sprinted through the forest, stumbling over roots and rocks, until she reached a clearing.

She stopped to get her breath. After a few moments, she was confident she hadn’t been followed.

So she looked around, and her eyes landed on the boys in the tree.

When Sebastian sprung up she considered her options-a sword versus a spear, but she could see blood on his shirt. He was wounded, and his throwing was bound to be off.

But then she saw his other hand, clasped tightly around Kurt’s. Santana nearly choked, the memory of Brittany’s hand in hers overpowering.

She let the boys go.

She ended up being one of the final two tributes. Just her and Jesse, which didn’t surprise her at all. She was ferocious, he was cruel and power-hungry. They were made for the Games.

It came to a confrontation. Santana forwent her sword entirely, content to rip at him with her hands. She wanted her last fight to be dirty. She wanted payback.

Jesse managed to kill Santana, but not before she’d done considerable damage to him. He was blind, in both eyes-she’d scratched them out. He couldn’t see her dead body, nor the hovercraft that retrieved him, nor the adoring fans in the Capitol.

He never saw anything again.


End file.
